Early Big Game irks Stanford, Cal

SPORTS

Updated 10:59 pm, Friday, October 19, 2012

The Cal marching band practices in preparation for the Big Game against Stanford this weekend at the recently renovated Memorial Stadium in Berkeley.

The Cal marching band practices in preparation for the Big Game against Stanford this weekend at the recently renovated Memorial Stadium in Berkeley.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Image 2 of 8

Daniel Resnick of the Cal marching band rests his head in his sousaphone while waiting for practice to start.

Daniel Resnick of the Cal marching band rests his head in his sousaphone while waiting for practice to start.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Image 3 of 8

Cal's marching band goes through drills on entering the field through the north tunnel. In past years, the Big Game against Stanford would not be played until around Thanksgiving.

Cal's marching band goes through drills on entering the field through the north tunnel. In past years, the Big Game against Stanford would not be played until around Thanksgiving.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Image 4 of 8

Musical director Robert Calonico talks with drummer Andrew Raymond as the band practices a selection of songs.

Musical director Robert Calonico talks with drummer Andrew Raymond as the band practices a selection of songs.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Image 5 of 8

The band drills on entering the field through the North tunnel. The Cal marching band held a practice in preparation for the game against Stanford this weekend at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, CA Friday October 19th, 2012. less

The band drills on entering the field through the North tunnel. The Cal marching band held a practice in preparation for the game against Stanford this weekend at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, CA Friday ... more

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Image 6 of 8

Musical director Robert Calonico stands on a ladder as he directs the band through a practice. The Cal marching band held a practice in preparation for the game against Stanford this weekend at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, CA Friday October 19th, 2012. less

Musical director Robert Calonico stands on a ladder as he directs the band through a practice. The Cal marching band held a practice in preparation for the game against Stanford this weekend at Memorial ... more

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Image 7 of 8

The Cal marching band held a practice in preparation for the game against Stanford this weekend at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, CA Friday October 19th, 2012.

The Cal marching band held a practice in preparation for the game against Stanford this weekend at Memorial Stadium in Berkeley, CA Friday October 19th, 2012.

Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle

Image 8 of 8

Early Big Game irks Stanford, Cal

1 / 8

Back to Gallery

It's as if someone took the calendar and threw it in a Cuisinart. The sun's been warm and bright, baseball's on TV, everyone's wearing shorts and flip-flops ... and it's time for the Big Game?

"The world is turned upside down," said Bill Allen, 86, a Stanford grad and retired lawyer from Arlington, Va., who attended his first Big Game in 1933 at Stanford. "Everyone knows the Big Game comes at the end of the season. This is ... just ... wrong."

Thousands of Cal and Stanford fans are wandering in a disoriented haze this week as their teams prepare for the annual football extravaganza a solid month before it's usually played. For the first time in more than a century, the game is not scheduled for the waning days of November, a time of mud and frost and whiskey-spiked coffee in Thermoses.

"It's got people quite upset. Everyone's had to reschedule everything - parties, luncheons. It's supposed to be around Thanksgiving," said Kerin Baker, Cal class of 1960, who heads the Cal alumni club at the Rossmoor retirement community in Walnut Creek. "I'm afraid if they keep doing this, it'll ruin the tradition. You'll say Big Game, and people will say, 'what?' "

Pac-12 to blame

The culprit is the Pac-12 Conference. Staff there moved the Big Game to Oct. 20 because the Pac-12 title game took over the first Saturday in December and Cal and Stanford refused to play the Big Game on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Also, there were TV contracts and the complexities of including two additional teams - Utah and Colorado - into conference scheduling. The conference has promised to return the 120-year-old tradition to its rightful spot next year.

"We're not happy about it, either, but in the new world, there will be times over the next years that the Big Game will be moved," said Erik Hardenbergh, a conference spokesman. "We've listened to the fans, and we've made every effort to create a schedule that accommodates these rivalries across the conference."

But that's small comfort to the countless fans who've had to reschedule, or cancel outright, their time-honored parties, reunions and other events. Cal's annual bonfire rally was scratched because it conflicted with a Bob Dylan concert at the Greek Theatre. Instead, students are holding a rally at Edwards Stadium on campus with the marching band, cheerleaders, rousing speeches and pyrotechnics, but no bonfire.

Look on the bright side

Junior Kalina Kwong, head of Cal's rally committee, tried to look on the bright side Wednesday.

"The Big Game in October just means we get the Axe back sooner," she said, referring to the trophy awarded annually to the winner of the game. "The spirit around campus is pretty high right now, especially since we have a semi-winning football team."

Cal, after a shaky start, has won its last two games, while Stanford is still reeling from its narrow loss to Notre Dame last weekend. But, as every Big Game veteran knows, records mean nothing when the archrivals meet.

Actually, the game itself really doesn't mean much. Longtime fans say the Big Game transcends football. It's a chance to see (and tease) old friends, reminisce about quarterbacks of yore, hear songs that have filled the stadium since fans rode horses to the game.

Same time each year

It's as much a part of the calendar as Halloween or the Fourth of July, fans said.

"It's a rejuvenation of life," said Bob Dolton of Santa Cruz, Stanford class of 1954. "It's something that builds up during the summer and fall. No matter how your season goes - win or lose, happy or unhappy - there's always the Big Game to look forward to. It's, 'OK, I've passed another yearly milestone. Now I'm ready for Christmas.' "

Of course, Big Game purists say the sanctity of the event started eroding long before the Pac-12 signed its TV contracts. The first insult was when college football opened the floodgates to dozens of minor bowl games, rendering the last game of the regular season almost meaningless.

"Back then, you didn't go to the Nicky Dicky Bowl with a 6-5 record," Dolton said. "You either got into the Rose Bowl or you didn't. Unless you did it like Cal in 1958, when they cheated."

Other darts in Big Game tradition include recent tweakings of the conference schedule, so occasionally Cal or Stanford play another game after the Big Game. A major blow came a few years ago, when Stanford rebuilt its stadium so small there is scant room for Cal fans at the Big Game.

Sometimes, it counts

Every few decades the Big Game actually has some sporting significance, i.e., a major bowl bid hinges on the outcome. But mostly it's about bragging rights in a region that doesn't take its sports too seriously but loves a good party.

Allen, whose wife went to Cal, remembers the first Big Game he attended at Memorial Stadium, in 1934. He was 8 years old.

"When I walked into Memorial Stadium, there were so many people and they were so close. There was so much excitement. The only thing comparable I've experienced is the Olympics," he said. "Big Game week was simply different than any other week of the year. I can't help thinking that when you make changes, you lose some of that."

Baker had a more sanguine perspective.

"Oh, it's not the end of the world. It's just a blip," she said. "Old Blues are more flexible than that. We have to be!"

Latest from the SFGATE homepage:

Click below for the top news from around the Bay Area and beyond. Sign up for our newsletters to be the first to learn about breaking news and more. Go to 'Sign In' and 'Manage Profile' at the top of the page.